Rechargeable LED
Hope Vision R4 LED Universal
Based in glamorous Barnoldswick, Hope have been turning aluminium lumps into sparkly objects of desire for some years now. The Vision R4 is the latest in their established range of lights and belts out a hefty 1000 lumens from its tiny head unit.
Gemini Xera LED Light System
If you're looking for an all-rounder light that will cut it both on and off road without breaking the bank then the Gemini Xera is definitely worth a look. Gemini are a fast-growing Canadian outfit and the Xera, a single LED light with a 2 or 4-cell battery is their first foray in to the UK market. I've have been testing the 4-cell version and I'm impressed, possibly even dazzled, by the combination of power, run time and value for money on offer.
Busch+Muller Ixon IQ light
This good quality Ixon LED from Busch + Muller gives a beam that'll get you seen around town and provides enough illumination for journeys on unlit roads as long as you're prepared to squint a bit.
The light patch on the ground is rectangular. That's because Busch & Muller are a German brand and the Ixon IQ is designed to comply with German road lighting regulations that limit the amount of the beam that's allowed to land anywhere but on the road.
Lezyne Mini Drive LED Front Light
Lezyne's new family of lights are very pretty and our Shaun rated the Super Drive when he reviewed it, so how does it's little brother, the Mini Drive, stack up?
Lumicycle LED 4Si
The LED4Si is Lumicycle's flagship road light. It's not as powerful as Lumicycle's MTB-oriented XPG systems – a claimed 1120 lumens against 1500 for the XPG – but the 4Si is designed for the road and has a tighter beam, so it can get away with less total output and get better battery life. And 1120 lumens is still a lot...
Exposure Joystick Mk 6 Front light - helmet kit
Exposure's range of lights and the Joystick in particular have been the weapon of choice for spendy MAMILs for some years now. Combining light weight, high power and smart design Exposure's lights have pretty much defined the template for all-in-one lights.
Exposure Diablo Mk 3 Front light - Helmet Kit
The Exposure Diablo is something of a hybrid light, borrowing elements from elsewhere in the Exposure range. It's essentially the triple Cree XPG R5 LED emitter array from the Toro and the 2600mAh battery from the Joystick. The slender barrel works with existing Joystick bar and helmet mounts, although slightly strangely only a helmet mount comes in the box – you'll need to buy an extra mount to use it on your bars, which is a better bet for the road.
Knog Boomer Rechargeable Front Light
Knog's Boomer Rechargeable front light has all the brands' trademark chic and belts out a decent amount of light into the bargain. Arguably the most waterproof of the plug in breed thanks to those beefy neoprene covers, there's a genuine child-like wow factor seeing the battery and circuitry through their clear bodies... well there is for me anyway.
Light & Motion Stella 150N Front Light
The Light and Motion Stella 150 N sits toward the lower end of Light and Motion's very successful Stella range. Starting with the 120 (denoting its output measured in Lumens) a few years ago, the range has now moved on to include a 300, and indeed a 600 Lumen light (well, actually the 600 is a pair of 300s supplied in a set).
Hope Vison 1 LED Front Light
Hope's Vision One is a self-contained wire-free light with a claimed output of 240 lumens from a single, large LED emitter. Hope's reputation is built on CNC machining things out of lumps of aluminium, so it's no surprise that that's exactly how the Vision One is made. It's rather nicely done, too, with a ridged outer surface, laser-etched logos and a choice of colours. It's quite large but not all that heavy, with a claimed weight of 110g (not including batteries).